Share and Follow
Representation is essential, and the beloved children’s show PBS KID series Work It Out Wombats! is highlighting this with the debut of a character using a cochlear implant.
Work It Out Wombats! features siblings Malik, Zadie, and Zeke, who reside in a lively treehouse community with their grandmother, Super, and an array of animal neighbors. Together, they navigate everyday situations through innovation, structure, and collaboration.
In the latest season, they befriend Bex, a new character who is hard of hearing. Her journey unfolds in the episode titled “Bex Splash Fest/Mural Mayhem.”
Upon meeting Malik, Zadie, and Zeke, Bex requests they face her while speaking so she can read their lips. She explains that although not deaf, she communicates using American Sign Language (ASL), which she refers to as “a language you can see.” Bex also mentions wearing a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other, prompting Zadie to exclaim that they are “the coolest things I’ve seen all day.”
When Bex removes her devices to enjoy the waterslide with her new friends, they adapt by finding alternative non-verbal communication methods, ensuring she feels included and never isolated.
When Bex has to remove her implant and hearing aid to go on the waterslide with her new friends, the group has to find other non-verbal ways to communicate with her, and they make the effort to ensure she remains included rather than left out.
This episode gives parents an opportunity to talk with their children about differences, empathy, and understanding, while also introducing young viewers to people who communicate in ways they may not be familiar with.
Make sure to tune in on April 3 when the new season kicks off with new friends and adventures that only the wombats can bring to the screen.